Perfection

I recently read a blog, "Zen Habits," that was conveying the concept that we are perfect as we are.  This notion is always a strange one for me to digest because everything I do is with the intention of improving some part of my life (skiing), whether it is mental or physical.  Survival in our sport is all about perfection, striving for bigger and better tricks.  So how do we implement these thoughts into that life?  Last season I found a balance between thinking "I'm perfect as I am" and thinking "I need to be better."  I suppose my mantra was "Well done, now what else can you do?" I entered the season last year with zero expectations.  I was coming back from a serious knee reconstruction, and I really didn't know what I would be able to do or sustain.  In a sense I think it helped me develop the above mantra and to truly implement it.  I began to take the time to feel proud of what I had accomplished- to respect myself for what I had done and to respect everyone else around me for what they were doing.  When you take the time to feel excited and good about your achievements, to truly appreciate them and LOVE them it opens you to new possibilities.  Then it seems that you begin do more because you want to, not just because you're supposed to.

Life is full of uncertainty, and at any moment our ability to walk, to breathe, to move could be taken away.  Why should we waste these precious moments feeling inadequate? Stop thinking about the things you don't have and look around at all that you do have.  Likely you have a lot more than you thought you did.

I ask you to start your day by becoming very aware of all of the wonderful people and things around you.  Life is plentiful and generous.  Be open to it.